The Bookshop on the Corner

A Novel

Nina Redmond is a librarian with a gift for finding the perfect book for her readers. But can she write her own happy-ever-after? In this valentine to readers, librarians, and book-lovers the world over, the New York Times-bestselling author of Little Beach Street Bakery returns with a funny, moving new novel for fans of Meg Donohue, Sophie Kinsella, and Nina George's The Little Paris Bookshop."Losing myself in Jenny Colgan's beautiful pages is the most delicious, comforting, satisfying treat I have had in ages."—Jane Green, New York Times bestselling author of Summer SecretsNina Redmond is a literary matchmaker. Pairing a reader with that perfect book is her passion... and also her job. Or at least it was. Until yesterday, she was a librarian in the hectic city. But now the job she loved is no more. Determined to make a new life for herself, Nina moves to a sleepy village many miles away. There she buys a van and transforms it into a bookmobile—a mobile bookshop that she drives from neighborhood to neighborhood, changing one life after another with the power of storytelling. From helping her grumpy landlord deliver a lamb, to sharing picnics with a charming train conductor who serenades her with poetry, Nina discovers there's plenty of adventure, magic, and soul in a place that's beginning to feel like home... a place where she just might be able to write her own happy ending.

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Nina Redmond, a bookish librarian, is laid off from her job in Birmingham. In a moment of bravery, she buys an old van in Scotland that she converts into a traveling book store. When she lands in Kerrinfief, Nina slowly realizes that it's her fate to be here. As she becomes involved in the village and surrounding countryside, Nina also begins to blossom. Although there's the predictable romance with the handsome, local farmer, Colgan portrays all the charm and warmth of the Scottish countryside and its people during a particular enchanting summer. This book is best suited for that sorely-needed vacation read when all belief can be suspended.

I wanted to read something light and fun, found this book by chance at a rarely visited branch and it was the perfect choice. A great escape and wonderful story about dedicated librarian Nina whose beloved library is reorganized, the books discarded and she's out of job trying to figure out what to do with her life. Her crusade to rescue books and make them available to those who don't have access to a library and bookshop is a brilliant solution and such a worthy cause. It's not easy starting a new life, and I admire the heroine's courage and resourcefulness to pursue her heart. I also love the author's digs about libraries becoming more like coffee shops and less temples of books. I loved this book --- it made me happy and hopeful. I was more interested in how Nina goes about executing her plan than her romances. I agree that the book's title doesn't coincide with the plot. Still, it is definitely worth reading. I plan to check out author Jenny Colgan's other books.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It wasn't all light and feathery humor, but neither did in bog down in dark and dreary. I actually enjoyed this better than 'Bakery'. Don't know if that's because I'd Bakery first and knew something of her writing or it's just a better book to me. I have to admit being smitten by the idea of the van o' books. Happy sigh.

A good weekend or vacation read, but nothing life altering or something to keep you up past your bed time.

Nina lives in England where apparently libraries are being closed and 'media centers' are opening, but not to the same extent. This leaves library staff at loose ends desperate to find employment and save their books. Nina gets the idea to buy a van (more of a box truck) and open a mobile bookstore with all the books she is saving from the trash as her library closes. She falls in love with a van in Scotland, and upon purchasing the van falls in love with the area the owner of the van is from. She then learns how impossible it would be to park and operate her mobile bookshop in the more populated areas, so she moves to Scotland and essentially begins a new life.

A good story for book lovers, those who enjoy sharing books, or like novels about modern day Scotland and its communities. Along with Nina we experience the community and the scenery, and her passion for finding readers their perfect book. But as I mentioned above there is nothing to keep you glued to the book, no dramatic scenes you must finish before turning out the light, or cliffhanging chapters that will make you binge read.

A welcome read that will be a good change of pace from serious fiction, mystery or historical fiction. Nina loses her job as a librarian and follows her dream to create a travelling bookshop in an old van. In the wilds of Scotland, she comes to love the setting and the people--but that landlord, what a difficult, though attractive fellow he is....will be sure to read more Jenny Colgan over the summer.

This book left me with mixed feelings. I loved the way that the main character revamped her life. I loved the snippet of Russian poetry that's included in the story. I loved the sprinkling of Doctor Who references. But I didn't love the way that life in Scotland seemed too good to be true. (I'm sure it's a great place, but no place is *that* perfect.) And I didn't love either of the so-called romances in the book; I found both of them disturbing rather than romantic. Overall I'd say that this is a flawed book that is still worth reading.

Quotes

Favorite quote from this book:
"Nina sat back down and started reading aloud from "Up on the Rooftops", and the twins quieted down immediately - not because they could follow the story, but because the soothing cadence of somebody reading always had a transformative effect on babies; Griffin's theory was that children were evolutionarily engineered to listen to stories, because it stopped them from wandering off into the woods and getting eaten by hairy mammoths."